Alexander Shmakov: the creative way

Alexander Shmakov (1909-1989 gg.) - Russian novelist, researcher, local historian, whose creative activity consisted not only in writing literary works, but also in preserving the monuments of history and culture of the Urals and Siberia.

Short biography Shmakov

The author of three dozen books, of which the most famous is the novel The Petersburg Exile, has passed through a rich creative path: from a staff member of a multi-screen in the Far East to his own correspondent of Pravda in the Irkutsk, Chelyabinsk, Kurgan regions and Uzbekistan. Accurate reconciliation of facts, reliability, clarity of published information were the main criteria in the work of the writer.

A native of the Krasnodar Territory, Alexander Andreevich Shmakov, whose biography is a vivid example of dedication and love for his native land, began his working career as a miner in the Far East, then worked at the factory as a mechanic. From 1931 to 1935, he served in the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army as commander of a communications company, and later was a literary employee of the military press. Behind shoulders there was a study in the capital's litinstitute them. Gorky and Pedagogical Institute of the city of Tashkent. In 1964 he worked in the writers' organization of the Chelyabinsk region as the executive secretary.

A. Shmakov: "Petersburg Exile"

The first publications of essays and short stories took place in 1930 in the garrison edition "On guard of the Motherland" and the regimental printing press. In 1941 the book "Stories about the son and mother" was presented to the attention of readers, in 1951 - the historical novel "Petersburg exile" about the reference to Siberia of the Russian writer-revolutionary Alexander Nikolaevich Radishchev, work on which the author began in 1939. The central theme of the work is the fate of a man who dared to deliver the word of truth in the "cruel age" and who, for that reason, became detached and persecuted. Even close people, seeing the negative attitude of the state towards him, moved away and turned away. Alexander Shmakov masterfully managed to penetrate into the deep spiritual world of the heroes of the novel and truthfully conveyed pictures of the people's life.

In the process of working on the novel, the writer conducted an immense research activity, studied a large number of sources concerning A. Radishchev. The colossal work done in the archives of Krasnoyarsk, Tyumen, Irkutsk, Tobolsk, became for the writer a huge scientific school, developed a passion for seeking information and a thirst for knowledge of the unknown.

To the beloved Urals is dedicated

Having moved to Chelyabinsk for permanent residence in 1952, Alexander Shmakov undertook to study the history of the Urals, traveled the region far and wide, met people, wrote down legends and songs, studied newspapers and magazines of the past. The results of the search activity were such books as Fadeev in the Urals, Letters from Lausanne, In Literary Intelligence, Our Literary Yesterday, Gorky and the Urals. The works of Alexander Andreevich Shmakov were translated into many languages, some of them were published under the pseudonym Al. Alexandrov.

Alexander Shmakov was a man who knew how to appreciate someone else's literary work and managed to bring back to life dozens of names such as P. Paduchev, P. Vtorov, M. Chuchelov, S. Uzhgin, A. Turkin - writers who are not indifferent to the history of the Urals and who managed to write about Beloved territory is interesting and truthful. Shmakov wanted talented works to reach their readers. Acting as a deputy at various meetings, he sought to perpetuate the memory of poets and prose writers in the names of streets and memorial tablets.

The son of his time

A purpose-oriented local historian and researcher, a talented writer and journalist, professional public leader. Tall, slender, smart, with a lot of daring ideas and promising projects. The son of his land and his time. A simple and sincere person who served honestly and selflessly to his land, his homeland - Alexander Andreevich Shmakov.